


Fate's A Speeding Bus

by PurpleMango



Series: The Process of Building A Home [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Assassin Natasha Romanov, BAMF Clint Barton, Clint Barton Made a Different Call, Clint Barton has a nice face, Drugged Sex, First Meetings, Forced Prostitution, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Natasha Romanov Needs a Hug, Partnership, belgrave is a hotel, read the previous parts of the series
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-28
Updated: 2018-10-03
Packaged: 2019-07-18 13:16:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16119251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PurpleMango/pseuds/PurpleMango
Summary: Natalia was an assassin. A graduate of the Red Room.She knew when someone was following her.But since the man with the styled blonde hair didn’t seem to do anything but watch her, not making phone calls, not taking pictures, not reaching for any of the carefully hidden weapons she’d mapped out as soon as she saw him, she let him be.She’d deal with him when he decided to engage her.(On hiatus for now)





	1. Meeting A Stranger

Natalia was an assassin. A graduate of the Red Room. 

She knew when someone was following her. 

But since the man with the styled blonde hair didn’t seem to do anything but watch her, not making phone calls, not taking pictures, not reaching for any of the carefully hidden weapons she’d mapped out as soon as she saw him, so she let him be.

She’d deal with him when he decided to engage her.

Being as she was in between jobs at the moment, she entertained herself through leading this guy around.  Going to farmers markets only to buy fresh fruit and sip at a homemade tea.   Slipping into history museums to watch the man set off the metal detectors.  Getting suited in her black catsuit only to go to a movie, which earned her whistles and catcalls, but the man’s confused face was worth every second of it.

Then she was notified that she had a mission. Within an hour she’d lost her tail and in the wind like a ghost. 

Natalia hoped that she’d see him again though.

He had a nice face.

 

Natalia was checking into a hotel with an affluent target when a blonde head across the room caught her eye. Smiling at the man she was with, she made her way to the bar, affirming her suspicions. 

Styled blonde hair turned slightly as she passed and for a second, she met eyes that were almost colorless under the light. However, the way that those same eyes widened slightly told her that he hadn’t expected her to be here either.

Winking between one step and the next, she stopped at the bar and ordered two drinks.

And although her curiosity was going to kill her, she’d stay away from the man with the blonde hair (Well, at least until he came to her).

 

When she’d gotten the location of the informant she wanted to meet, she cleaned up and headed down to the desk to check out. 

A woman in business casual smiled at her. “Hello. What can I do for you?”

“I’d like to check out please.”

The woman looked down at the computer in front of her. “Name?”

“Nina Rose.”

After a second of the woman typing she frowned. “And your… male companion?”

Natalia smiled apologetically. “I’m sorry. He stepped out already.”

“He has to be here to check the room out. Standard procedure. Just because he’s paying for the room.”

Natalia was itching to use the blade that was only a few millimeters near her hands, but then an arm was being slung around her shoulder, lips pressed to her cheek.  “Nina! I’m sorry I was just out grabbing a car for us... Everything okay?”

Natalia knew better than to be surprised and went with the blonde man’s acting, hoping he wasn’t going to hold this over her. “Darling you didn’t have to come back… It’s just some minor complication i’m sure.” She looked at the woman, who immediately started typing. 

“And you’re ready to go! Hope you enjoyed your stay!”

Natalia nodded, walking with the man until they were outside. “Please get your arm off me.”

He looked at her, blinking, before backing away. “Oh! Sorry. Lost in thought for a second.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Who are you, why are you following me, and why did you help me?”

The man sighed. “Slow down. Look, I’m a government agent with the United States, and I was sent the other year to see what you were up to.”

“And?”

The man grinned. “You’re good. Maybe as good as they say, _maybe_ even better. You lost me in less than an hour!”

Natalia kept her face calm, even though internally she was puffing up her chest with pride. “And why are you here now?”

“I was actually after the man you were playing arm candy to. I figured since you were already on the job… I could take a break. Maybe help you with whatever you’re doing next. My boss won’t need to know the mission’s over for a few days…”

“What do you get out of it?”

“Well I still have an order to either kill you or bring you in… so I was hoping since you seem to have a sense of humor, that you’d take this as a test run. To see if you’d ever consider backup.”

“I don’t think you’d like where i’m going. Mafia clubs don’t seem to be your style.” Checking her watch, she shoved a pair of sunglasses in his hand and then turned to face the street, acting like she didn’t know or recognize him. 

Then a sleek black car was rolling up to a stop in front of her, and she slid in, closing the door.  A voice came through a speaker next to her. “Who was that?”

She rolled her eyes. “Some American. He got me out of a tight spot and then tried to get me to sell myself to him.”

The modulated voice laughed. “You should have taken his offer. It seems to be all you are good for. Isn’t that right Natalia?”

Natalia turned to look out the window as she curled her fingers into balls, face flat as she swore to kill the man that was behind the speaker once she was done with this mission. “Yes. I _should_ have taken his offer…”


	2. Making an Ally

The booming club ‘ _ Belgrave _ ’ stood before her as she wrapped her thick fur coat around herself in an alley across the street. 

Natalia hated this.

She hated working for men that only wanted money and to get revenge on their enemies. 

She hated how she got to her targets.

But nothing could be done about it until she had a knife in her boss’s chest and could burn the information he had on her. She just needed to get to that file and she’d be free.

However, now was not the time for that.

Natalia let her lips curve into a sultry smirk as she strolled across the street, letting her fur coat fall open. The fishnet stockings and sleek black bodysuit seemed even more alluring under the neon lights and the bouncer immediately stepped aside, letting her cut the line around the block.

She handed her coat off to a guy just inside the door, trying to ignore the way his eyes widened when she shrugged it off. Adjusting the bow tie around her neck, she carefully sat the headband with the bunny ears in her hair, wishing she was anywhere else.

The outfit was for the informant to find her, so she sidled to the bar, noticing the blonde man from the hotel was across the room talking to a leggy brunette. He glanced at her and seemed to freeze, talking in what she was wearing. 

Natalia winked, turning back to the bar, where the bartender had put down a martini. Under the glass was a napkin with messy scrawl: Room 17. Pursing her lips, she wondered what she’d have to do for that information, and then decided she needed that martini.

Downing the drink, she made her way to the back of the club to the private rooms.

Number 17 was closed, so she knocked lightly.

A smaller man with a large beard opened the door, looking her over and smiling. “Red. Come on in... I’ve been expecting you.”

Natalia grimaced at the nickname, but walked past the man, looking around the room. “You know why i’m here then.”

The man’s smile turned downright creepy and he started to stalk towards her. “I know _all_ about you, Natalia.”

She reached for the knife in the small pocket of her outfit, but then her vision seemed to wobble and she felt herself stumble, trying to keep her balance. She felt her body start to relax and tried to make herself snap out of it, but instead felt the knife slip from her hand. “Wha- What’d-”

“One of your sources gave me a heads up you were coming. I was going to just kill you, but then I got a glimpse of you and… Darling you’re too pretty to die.”

Faintly in the back of her brain, she heard the door open, felt herself get dragged towards a bed, but she felt like she was made out of putty. Her whole body was slowly going numb, and all she could do was watch.

“You’ll like this. Your boss told me you do stuff like this all the time.” Hands pushed up her shirt, pausing, and she knew that he was looking at her graduation gift from the Red Room. “Oh, you really  _ are  _ made for this.”

She felt something wet slip down her cheek and closed her eyes, blocked out the feeling of hands on her. 

Natalia thought of brown eyes, amused as they brushed back her hair, warm body pressed against her as they sat together. She thought of her Soldier, how he’d kill these men in an instant if he’d have been here…

 

There was no way to tell how long it was before the room was cleared and she was left alone, the man promising to come back with more of his ‘friends’. 

Natasha couldn’t do anything but wait and wish she could control the wet trials on her cheeks. 

The door was opening and she was closing her eyes again, thinking about brown eyes and smooth metal fingers brushing across her shoulders.

“What the hell!”

She blinked, eyes meeting a very shocked blonde american. “Hel- Pleas-”

“Are they coming back?” The man cursed, rushing over and untying her. “Can you stand?”

“Dr’ged...”

“They drugged you?” The man cursed under his breath in multiple languages. “Okay, okay think Barton.” He muttered, then froze. “We’re gonna go out the fire escape. Come on.” He slung her over his shoulder in a swift movement, and started moving.

 

Later when she was sitting in room at the american embassy, wearing the man’s clothes, she eyed the man. “So. What do I owe you?”

The man, who was busy putting assorted weapons in a duffel, looked up. “Nothing.” He must have seen the look on her face and blanched. “God no. No I don’t want anything from you, well other than to consider coming to the U.S.”

Natalia worried at her lip with her teeth. “I have something I need to do before I go anywhere. But i’m not sure I can get it alone…” She hesitantly met the steel blue eyes. “Does your offer for a partner still stand?”

The man chuckled. “I thought I was your partner ever since you gave me those sunglasses.” He held out a hand. “My name’s Clint Barton.”

She felt herself take the warm hand lightly. “Everyone that knows me calls me Natalia.”

“Is that your name?”

“It’s the name they gave me.”

The man raised an eyebrow. “What do  _ you  _ think your name is?”

She paused, before letting her lips quirk up. “Natasha. Natasha Romanov.”

“It’s nice to meet you Natasha. Want to go take care of your business?

Natasha nodded. “Let’s go. I want you to be able to show me around america before you take you to your boss.”

 

Natasha was sitting on a wooden desk in the penthouse office of the billionaire that had made her life for the last year a living hell. The man himself was in the other room, swaying slightly from the noose she’d fashioned for him. 

She looked over a manila file. 

Natalia Romanova.

The name on the front stared back at her, and she finally got up the courage to open it, if just to not have to see that name.

Inside were pictures. Pictures of her all through growing up, a picture of her sparring with the Winter Soldier, a picture of her in a leotard… and a picture of her smiling up at the soldier as she was pressed to his side.

She took that last photo, carefully sliding it into a pocket, before flipping through the rest of the file. Medical records, surgery notes, notes on the times she was wiped… Natasha flipped the file closed, scowling.

And when Barton came out of the room where he’d been looting the billionaire's safe, he smiled and didn’t mention the folder she was holding. “Ready to go?”

“Ready.”


	3. No No, We Stay Together

Natasha eyed the massive building made of stone and glass, and decided that it’s architecture was a power play, plain and simple. With three towers surrounding a tower in the middle, connected by a bridge on the top, the building was highly impractical.

“You don’t seem fazed.”

She looked at the man next to her, who was wearing the sunglasses she’d given him.

“Usually people freak out when they’re introduced to things like this.”

Natasha rolled her eyes. “It’s gaudy. And impractical. Lets go.”

Clint laughed, and bowed slightly. “Well then. This way please, your highness.”

As she walked into the massive building, the only things on her the assortment of knives, a purse that held her gun, and the folder; she noticed every single eyes seemed to follow her.

She looked down at her outfit, frowning. The simple business wear was both comfortable and practical. “Am I dressed inappropriately? You told me that I would not stand out like this.”

Clint chuckled. “No, you’re fine. It’s your hair. Everyone here that has clearance knows who I was sent out to kill, and they know she has red hair. The rest are just spreading gossip.”

“You said I had the _option_ to come back with you.”

The man winced. “Well… That was an option that I gave you, but the orders were to kill... I’m sorry.”

Natasha nodded once, her head still held up high. “Well then. I will die with my secrets.” She glanced back at the man when his steps faltered. “Come on Barton. You’re my escort. Act like it.”

Clint nodded, picking up his pace again.

Natasha hooked arms with him once they were side by side, smirking. “And well we’re at it…” She planted a light kiss on his cheek, watching as most of the room went wide-eyed. “I might as well lay claim on you.”

The man snorted. “ How _ ladylike _ .”

 

The man in front of her with the eye patch was frowning at her. Then he turned to Barton. “And how do we know we can trust her?”

She reached for her purse, pausing when the whole room pointed their weapons at her (sans Clint). “I have the faint idea you don’t trust me… Barton can you get that folder for me?” She handed the purse to Clint.

He took the gun out, putting it aside, before handing her the folder. 

Natasha held it up. “This is my life. The program that made me put every piece of information into this folder. My medical procedures, kills, people I talked to, even my eating habits.” She put it down on the table in front of the man. “I killed my last employer to get that back. Do not use it against me without knowing what is at stake… but know that folder is my whole identity, my life. You have it, you control me.”

The man picked it up, glancing at her, and then opening it.

She watched him flip though it, until his whole body tensed and he looked up at her in surprise. Specifically to where the scar was from her sterilization. Natasha let her lips curve into a smirk that was 100% manufactured, lifting her shirt a little. “You want to touch it?”

The man blinked, face going blank again. “Stop that.”

Natasha let the shirt fall back down, shrugging.

Finally the man closed the folder with a sigh. “I can make you an agent, but I don’t trust you alone. I have a number of people you can-”

“Barton.” She pointed at the man standing off to the side of her. “Clint Barton will be my partner.”

The man narrowed his eyes. “Why don’t we see how well you actually fight first, before I assign my best agent to you.”

“Fine. Who am I fighting?” She looked around the room.

“Not here Natasha.” Clint shook his head. “There’s a training room. Come on. This way.”


End file.
